5 Tips for Eating Healthy at The Office

Choosing healthy meals during the workday can be difficult.  I work full-time in an office – so I completely understand what makes it hard to choose healthy lunches.  Peer pressure to dine out, watching others eat burgers and fries while I choose a salad, and the time it takes to prepare my own meals are all challenges I face everyday.

If your New Year’s Resolution is to be healthier – very original by the way – then I will share some of my best tips for eating healthier at work.

No. 1:  Pack your own lunch.  I know it takes time in the evening to put a lunch together for the next day.  But if you want to make changes for a better you, this is an important one.  This step is easier if you plan ahead and make large dinners during the week or on weekends that will provide leftovers.  If you get bored quickly and don’t want the same leftovers more than one day in a row, freeze some portions and then you can rotate them.

No. 2:  If you are going to eat restaurant food with your coworkers, order by phone and dine in if possible.  This way you aren’t tempted by “free” food provided by restaurants (such as bread, chips & dip, etc.) – which is only free in price and not calories.  And you won’t be able to order a second portion, a dessert, or something “to go” at the end of the meal.

No. 3:  Don’t skimp on what you pack for lunch.  If your weight loss plan is to bring only enough food for a bird, you’re setting yourself up for failure.  You’ll be starving and hit the vending machine an hour later.  Or when your coworkers ask if you want to join them for lunch at the local eatery – you’ll think of your 1/2 cup of lettuce with a lemon twist for dressing and ditch your birdseed plan in a heartbeat.

No. 4:  Bring snacks.  Meals can be many hours apart.  And forcing yourself to wait for your next one might not be the best plan.  I recommend healthy snacking if it will be more than 4 hours between meals.  But don’t just count on what you can find in the office vending machine or make a run to the convenient store.  Bring a healthy snack each day or keep a few nonperishable healthy choices in a desk drawer. 

I eat lunch at noon and don’t normally eat dinner until 6:30 pm. So I have a planned snack around 4 pm. This keeps me from overeating (and speed-eating) at dinner, and it keeps my blood sugar in check.

No. 5:  If you join your coworkers in dining out, arrive prepared.  Look up the restaurant menu online whenever possible and have two healthy options in mind – and stick to your plan!  Without this little step, it is easy to get sidetracked by bad choices once you are reading the menu with a rumbling belly.  Also consider ordering first to avoid the influence of your coworkers’ choices.

Here is a typical breakfast and lunch for me (I eat both at work):

And as my husband points out regularly…my lunch bag is a little larger than most.  (Actually he asked why I don’t just consider a cooler on wheels.  Which I did consider but it wasn’t as stylish, thank you very much.)

Got it at Target and LOVE it.

By the way, is anyone else tired of stink bugs?????